Torchwood Guardians
by TimelessHeart
Summary: On a routine Weevil hunt, Jack encounters someone that will change his and Ianto's life forever. But when an old enemy comes calling, will they be torn apart? I own nothing familiar except what's not. So not a crossover.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Neither Torchwood or Doctor Who are mine, which is obvious, but I can dream.

Chapter One

By the time Jack realised he'd been tricked, it was too late. The pack of Weevils already had him on the ground and were tearing into him with their claws and razor sharp teeth. His whole body was a mass of agony and his mind was filled with the red haze of pain. He'd been chasing one lone Weevil, Owen and Gwen had lost them, and he'd managed to corner the alien in a dead end of one of the alleys of Cardiff Bay. He should've known something was wrong. The Weevil had simply crouched and growled at him. Usually they tried to scrabble the walls, trying to find a way out, but this time the Weevil hadn't even been afraid. The last thing he remembered before the pain took over was a heavy weight colliding into his back and dragging him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him and leaving him with no chance to defend himself.

The greyness was just beginning to swim in front of his eyes when a loud, sharp whistle pierced his ears and he couldn't help but cringe at the sound. Then he could breath again, the weight of several Weevils gone, leaving him gasping for breath. Using what strength he had left, Jack rolled onto his side, his eyes scanning for another attack. Instead though, what he saw almost made him want to laugh. The very same group of Weevils that had took him down were now crouched, silent and waiting, around a dark, shadowed figure. Jack could just make out the low growls and clipped sounds coming from the dark figure before the Weevils suddenly stood.

He tried to shout out a warning, but all he could managed was a choked rasp, but he needn't have bothered. The Weevils slunk off, quickly disappearing into the shadows, leaving Jack with a problem. Yeah, the Weevils had been bad, but he had a feeling things were about to get a lot worse as he watched the stranger turn and walk towards him. As he or she got closer, Jack forced his hand to reach for his gun, but when his fingers managed to wrap around the handle, gloved fingers wrapped around his wrist, keeping his hand down with surprising strength. He looked up, feeling his eyes widen and his jaw drop as soft, pink lips parted in a smile, revealing long, pointed canine teeth.

The grip on his wrist tightened considerably, making him release his gun handle. Then warmth flooded his entire body, causing him to gasp and his body to tremble, while heat pooled deliciously in the pit of his stomach. It took him a moment to realise that his wrist was now free and his saviour had stood up and was now walking away from him. Jack moved, rolling onto his front and pushing himself to his knees, his mind doing a quick inventory of wounds that now seemed healed even as he called to the stranger to wait. She stopped, head tilted slightly to the left.

"Stay away from the Weevils."

Jack blinked, not quite sure he's heard right. In something close to disbelief, he watched as she continued to walk away, her steps unhurried, as though she had nothing in the world to worry about. Groaning, Jack pushed himself to his feet, every aching muscle in his body fading even though it healed. With a determined scowl, he followed after her, reaching out to grab her arm. A mistake, he realised, when he found himself face down on the ground, his arms pinned behind his back and held down with a well placed knee.

"You are just plain stubborn," he heard her growl against his ear, her breath against his skin making him shiver slightly. "And you are beginning to annoy me. Not a wise combination."

"Wisdom's never been my strong point," Jack replied, letting his body relax when what he really wanted to do was throw her off and pin her to the ground beneath him.

"I will tell you, one last time. Stay away from the Weevils."

Though her voice had been firm and leaving no room for argument, there hadn't been any malice or hate, something that Jack had expected. Only concern.

"And if I don't?" asked Jack calmly, straining to look at her over his left shoulder.

"Majesty ," hissed a male voice before she could answer him. Jack felt the woman above him tense up, the pressure on his arms increasing slightly as the voice called again from the shadows. "Majesty, we know you're there. You can't hide from us forever."

The sneering voice sent chills down Jack's spine. It sounded oily, cold and pure evil. He heard the woman above him curse, and the pressure holding him down was gone. Though he looked around, Jack couldn't see a single soul other than Owen, Gwen and Tosh running towards him as he stood.

"Jack!" panted Gwen as she bent over, holding her knees and trying to catch her breath, while Owen and Tosh were leaning against one of the walls. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," replied Jack absently as he looked down at the open palm of his right hand, surprised to see a piece of paper in the middle of it.

"What've you got?" asked Tosh, looking up at Jack expectantly, causing the others to focus on him as well.

Without answering, Jack opened up the piece of paper (psychic paper he realised) and stared at the writing on it.

_'Keep away from the Weevils,'_

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Looking down from her perch on the edge of the roof, she watched as the Captain tucked her note into his pocket. Though his team walked back to their SUV, he stayed. When he glanced upwards, she ducked back, sure he couldn't see her, out of sight as she was. When he turned to go, she finally edged over the side and dropped silently as the car doors slammed shut. Clenching her fists and scowling at the night, all she could do for now was wait for the sun to rise.

"This is not right," she muttered into the small ear piece on her right ear. "I should just go in there and take him out."

"You know you can't do that," replied a voice over the comm-link. "The only reason he's remained safe is because you've kept your distance. Wait for the morning, stick to the plan. If they find him before he's ready, the rest of us are all as good as dead."

"I think we deserve a drink," she replied into the comm, not bothering to hide the tiredness from her voice. "Tell the rest to be at the usual place. I will meet you all there."

"Tasia, you're not going to do anything rash are you? You know you're supposed to be taking it easy."

"No. Just take in the night air, maybe listen to the stars. Telosc was close tonight. Too close. I just need to take a little time to myself for a moment, that is all."

"Be careful, my friend. We shall see you shortly."

With a soft growl, she switched the comm-link off and took it out, slipping it into her left jacket pocket. It was time for a good hunt.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Neither Torchwood or Doctor Who are mine, which is obvious, but I can dream.

(Thanks to krazymona for being my Beta, she's a real angel)

--

Chapter Two

"Hang on," said Owen as he planted three pints of beer on the table in front of him then sat down next to Tosh and Gwen. "Let me get this right. You got thrown on your arse by a girl who ordered you to stay away from the Weevils?"

"She wasn't human," defended Jack as he placed his own pint glass of water on the table in front of him. "There's no way she could've been human and communicated to the Weevils like she did."

"Well, it might interest you to know," said Ianto as he sat down next to Jack, a superior twinkle in his blur-grey eyes. "That I've managed to find something on a species that can not only communicate with the Weevils, but also share some of the traits that you mentioned, Jack."

"How so?" asked Tosh, her curiosity piqued.

"There wasn't a lot on them in the Archives, only a single page really, and I had to go back to the very beginning, when Torchwood was first set up. But, it would seem that Queen Victoria herself made a bargain with a species called Guardians."

"I've heard of them before," muttered Jack, his blue eyes narrowing as he tried to think back to when he'd first heard of them.

"Very likely," continued Ianto. "It was an uneasy alliance, made on trust alone, between the two Queens. Queen Victoria and the Queen of the Guardians. It would seem, that these Guardians would pop up hot on the trail of Sleepers, like Beth had been. They'd only come into the open when a Sleeper had been activated. If they couldn't make it in time to stop them, then they simply cleaned up what was left and put things back to rights."

"That still doesn't explain what they are," said Owen as his attention was grabbed by a group of women who walked in. "What species can communicate with a Weevil and throw Jack on his face like a sack of potatoes?"

"Hey!" protested Jack, even though his own eyes twinkled with humour.

"Alright," said Gwen, not looking at Jack but at the same group of women that Owen was watching. "Tell me this then. What group of women, on a night out around the town, order only water?"

Jack looked over to where Gwen motioned to with her head and saw four women. From the looks of them, each one were in their late twenties. Just as Gwen had said, each woman held a glass of water as they made their way to sit at a table directly across from their own. Where one woman was as pale as snow with almost white hair, another woman looked the exact opposite, with dark chocolate skin and ebony black hair. They sat in a circle around the table, and the next woman Jack saw was tanned golden, her hair a cascade of copper down her back. The final woman was the one that stood out though. Her skin was pale, but not unhealthily so. While her mousey brown hair seemed to shimmer slightly with just a hint of blue.

"I don't care!" hissed the black haired woman in an angry whisper. "She died for us. For that kid. All I'm sayin', is that he'd better be worth it, or I'll rip that place apart myself. Torchwood or no Torchwood."

Jack glanced at the rest of his team, not surprised to see they were also listening in on the women's conversation. So without a scrap of guilt, he watched the other table out the corner of his eye and listened.

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"Felicia!" hissed the white haired woman. "Be careful what you say. Unless they're active, we have no idea where or who they could be!"

"I'm sorry, Celeste," sighed Felicia, slumping back down in her seat. "It's just so frustrating having to wait, is all. There's so many of them and so few of us. We're dying out."

"We are only dying if we give up," replied Celeste gently. "Tasia will not let us do that."

"Speaking of which," said the red head. "Where is Tasia? Wasn't she supposed to be here by now?"

"You know what she is like, Aiden," answered Celeste with a soft laugh. "A free soul if ever there was one."

"She's hurt," muttered the only woman who had not yet spoken.

"Beth?" enquired Celeste, raising an eyebrow.

"Tasia. She's hurt," replied Beth with a worried frown. "And she's heading right for us."

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Jack instantly tensed as the door to the bar was thrown open, banging against the wall. A quick glance at the rest of his team told him that they expected trouble as well. What he hadn't expected was for five people out of the crowded tables to suddenly stand, dragging the nearest person to them to their feet, then holding the familiar long, flesh coloured blades against their hostages.

The screaming started as he surged to his feet, instinctively drawing his gun and aiming it at the largest Sleeper Agent. There was no way he could manage to get a good aim. People were running and screaming around them, in between him and his target. Around him, his team had already drawn their own weapons and taken aim, though their chance of actually hitting an Agent and not a hostage were as bad as his.

"I believe you have one of mine," came the silky voice from the doorway. A voice that Jack recognised.

In a few quick glances, Jack had managed to assess the situation. The five Sleeper Agents held their hostages close to their bodies, making sure that their human shields carried out their purpose. At the odd shimmer of copper coloured hair, he realised that one of the hostages was the red head from the table of women that he'd been eavesdropping on.

The rest of the pub had emptied out, leaving the Sleeper Agents and his team at a stand still, four of the hostages blubbering and begging for help, while the red head stood silently and calmly in the grip of her captor. Her three companions stood directly opposite Jack and his own team, neither one moving, but simply watching. Waiting.

In the open doorway, stood Jack's mystery saviour from earlier in the night. Her hood no longer hid her features. Golden skin, high cheekbones, pert nose, heart shaped face. Black glasses hid her eyes, but from the way her lips were pressed into a thin line, he could guess that pain was just one of the emotions she had hidden behind them. Her hair, pulled back behind her, shone with gold and red strands, the pubs lighting making it look like living fire.

Though she stood straight and tall, her shoulders back and her arms by her sides, Jack could tell she was injured. In the side of her black top, just along the left side of her rib cage, Jack could make out a tear in the material. In that one tear, he could just make out raw flesh and the glimpse of white rib bone. Yet she held herself strong, her breathing slow, if shallow, and her movements that of someone who had all the time in the world.

The one thing they didn't have was time, and Jack knew this. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tosh working on her hand held scanner, obviously working hard on deactivating the force field that the Sleeper agents used. She needed time, something that Jack would do whatever he had to do to make sure she got it.

"Their shields are down," came a male voice from the back doorway.

The minute Jack looked over to the speaker, it felt as if he'd been punched in the gut. The air stalled in his lungs as pain kicked into his chest. Leaning against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest, dark brown hair tied back at the nape of his neck and very familiar blue eyes, stood a young man in his early twenties. A dark red T-shirt stretched over muscled shoulders, pale blue jeans skimming long legs and black Doc Martins on his feet. He looked every inch the young club goer and every centimetre a predator. He might have grown up, but Jack knew who he was.

"Right then!" said the injured woman, her voice startling Jack slightly as she clapped then rubbed her hands together. "Down to business. Let the hostages go and I might let you walk out of here alive."

"We'll walk out alive, alright," replied the largest of the Agents, pulling the red head closer to him, almost lifting her off her feet. "The others have already arrived and there's nothing you can do to stop us. You and this miserable little planet will burn."

"We won't let you do that," growled Jack, pushing his own personal feelings deep down and forcing a coldness into his voice. "We stopped you before, we can do it again."

"You're too late," laughed one of the smaller Agents, a female. "You've already been factored into our plans. You and your precious Guardians. We know everything about you, all of you. We know your weaknesses, your flaws. We know what makes you tick and how to hurt you."

"Now you see, that is where you have a problem," said Jack's saviour, her voice calm, her tone almost bored.

"Then how about you share it with us," snapped Owen, tightening his grip on his gun, his eyes never leaving his target.

"The last time their lot encountered me, I was a very different person back then. Too understanding, too forgiving. Too kind." Jack barely managed to fight the shiver that snaked its way down his back at her last couple of words. "Quite a lot has changed since then. Take now, for instance," she continued, reaching to her left side with her left hand. "I am pretty hard to slow down."

Jack watched in morbid fascination as she dug the fingers of her left hand through the tear in her top and into her own flesh. He heard the snapping of bone and had to fight the urge to be sick as he watched her pull her fingers back out, the now broken off rib bone in her bloody grasp. Looking back to the wound, he was stunned to see a rib grow back, then become covered with flesh, muscle and finally smooth golden skin.

"Damn sight easier to heal if nothing is there in the first place," she told the stunned onlookers, nonchalantly tossing the now useless bone aside. "Aiden, show your admirer what it is like to really burn."

Something was going on, Jack was certain of that. It felt almost surreal, being unable to do anything other than stand and watch, gun drawn, as the red head's captor suddenly stumbled then pushed her away as if he'd just touched hot coals. Then the Agent began to scream.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Neither Torchwood or Doctor Who are mine, which is obvious, but I can dream.

(Thanks to krazymona for being my Beta, she's a real angel, so any remaining mistakes are mine.)

Chapter Three

The Sleeper Agent screamed again as he dropped to his knees, his coppered haired hostage forgotten in his agony. Though Jack glanced around the room, his attention was once again dragged back to the alien that was now writhing on the floor. It was clawing at its blade arm, its chest, its face and neck. Anything that it could reach. All the time, more and more boils and blisters were appearing on its exposed skin, growing then bursting, like the blister from a burn. The Agent flopped onto its back, its eyes wide and mouth open, no longer able to scream as dark pink foam surged up and out of its mouth, running in boiling, bubbling rivulets down its face and chin.

Its unseeing eyes suddenly began to bulge, some sort of pressure pushing behind them until they finally exploded, sending fluids every which way. Jack sensed Ianto and Gwen staggering backwards, gagging and fighting hard not to be sick. Then hissing and crackling, as pink steam rose out of the Agent's mouth, nose, ears and ruined eye sockets, while its body went still. Its skin began to darken, becoming burnt and charred, while its middle suddenly collapsed in on itself, revealing a pool of boiling and steaming ooze where organs, muscle and flesh should have been.

"Jack?" At Tosh's shaky whisper, he looked over at the Asian woman, who was still holding her portable scanner. "He's been boiled alive. Tremendous heat surge from the inside. But there's still five Agents left."

"Where?" asked Jack, making sure to keep his voice low and quiet, so that he didn't draw attention to himself or Tosh.

"Behind the bar, moving towards the back door."

Looking towards the bar, and more importantly, the mirrored wall behind it, Jack felt his blood run cold as he saw the reflection of the hidden Sleeper Agent heading towards the back door and towards the young man who stood there.

"Grey, look out!"

Even before the words had left his mouth, Jack knew he'd been too late. The lad had stepped forward, a look of surprise on his face, only for it to turn to shock as the hidden Agent's blade surged through his stomach to come out of his back.

"Chase me, or save the boy!" snarled the Agent as he pulled his blade from his victim's body, savagely twisting it, drawing a cry of agony from the young man.

Forgetting about the other Agents, about his team and everyone else in the room, Jack shot forwards. He caught the bleeding lad as his knees buckled and he dropped back, taking them both to the floor. He laid him down on his back, pressing his hands to the bleeding wound, even as he shouted hoarsely for Owen's help. As the young doctor dropped to his side, he could already hear the woman at the front door shouting out orders.

"Felicia, Beth. Track down that Agent and wipe him out. Celeste, see to Grey, stabilise him until I can get there. Aiden, burn all but this one."

Jack looked up from his bloody hands to see two of the women running out of the back door, after the Agent, while the Albino woman dropped to her knees besides him. He didn't fight when he was pushed aside by the pale woman, instead his attention was held on the woman he could only presume was named Tasia, as she dragged one of the hostages away from an Agent, then pinned the Agent against the wall with such speed and ferocity that the wall behind the Agent cracked.

"Miss Sato!" called Tasia as she pinned the Agent's blade arm to the wall with one hand while she tightened her grip on his throat with the other. "All the information the Sleeper Agents collect is stored in the implants in their arm, correct?"

Jack looked over at Tosh to see her looking uncertainly at him. He gave her a nod of encouragement while the other three Agents around them began to scream, their hostages forgotten in their agony, as they met the same demise their comrade had encountered.

"Y-yes," replied Tosh uncertainly. "But I don't see what good that can do us at the moment."

"Plenty if you know how to use it."

The woman's reply was given with a soft growl as she savagely pulled and twisted the blade arm. The sickening sound of bone crunching and snapping, of tendons and muscle tearing were only just out done by the Agent's screams of horrified agony as his arm was torn off just above his elbow. From somewhere in the background Jack could hear Ianto being sick, and he had to fight with his own desire to lose the contents of his stomach as bile began to rise in the back of his throat.

"An eye for an eye," Tasia growled with grim humour, as she quickly and efficiently drove the blade of the torn limb through the Agent's left eye and into the wall behind him, pinning him in place then stepping back to allow the body to hang limply. "An arm for an arm."

"Tasia," called the Albino woman, dragging Jack's attention back to the injured lad on the floor besides him. "Doctor Harper and I have managed to slow down Grey's bleeding, but unless we can either get him to a hospital or back to base very soon -"

"We can take him back to the Hub," interrupted Jack, looking up at Owen fiercely. "He can survive the journey back, can't he?"

"We're only a few minutes away. As long as we don't get stopped by anyone or anything, he'll make it back."

Jack gave Owen a decisive nod of his head as he slipped one arm under Grey's shoulders and the other under the back of his knees. With Owen's help, he got to his feet. Without waiting for the others Jack walked out of the now deserted pub quickly and carefully. He could sense Owen following, and after a moment he realised that the others were as well.

"Ianto, we need to get that place cleared and those hostages Ret-conned," said Jack, relief flooding through him as the large water tower that was the Millennium Fountain came into view.

"About that..." Ianto trailed off as Jack turned to face him, only to come to a halt when he saw the woman, Tasia, standing besides Ianto, with the other two, Celeste and Aiden, standing behind her. Behind them, was the deserted pub, now ablaze with roaring flames, while a crowd of people, including four very confused looking ex-hostages, stood on the path across the road from it.

"Captain," said Tasia, her voice soft and level. "Life saving now, explanations later."

Without another word, Jack turned and carried on towards the invisible lift, Gery's blood soaking through the front of his shirt with each step he took.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Neither Torchwood or Doctor Who are mine, which is obvious, but I can dream.

(Thanks to krazymona for being my Beta, she's a real angel, so any remaining mistakes are mine.)

* * *

Chapter Four

Jack watched from the stairwell of the autopsy bay. Below him the woman known as Celeste stood silently at the head of the table, keeping both hands on Grey's shoulders. Owen was bent over his patient, his hands knuckle deep in the lad's guts. Just the thought alone made Jack want to be sick. From somewhere behind him Jack could hear Tosh talking a mile a minute to the red head named Aiden. The two women were getting on like a house on fire. Considering what this Aiden woman was apparently capable of doing, Jack wasn't so sure it was a good idea to have her running loose around the Hub.

Hell, this whole situation just sat wrong with him. It screamed 'Alien', but here he was, depending on said aliens to help save Grey's life.

"So how do you know Grey?"

His body tensed at the sound of her voice. He'd neither heard nor sensed her moving next to him and that made him wary. It made him angry. Even if he wasn't sure if it was directed at her or himself. At this very moment with Grey's life hanging in the balance, the person he held responsible for this turn of events was currently leaning over the rail with an air of mild curiosity. Jack wasn't sure which pissed him off more. The fact that these women had slipped into the Hub so effortlessly and seemed to be taking over, or the fact that the woman standing besides him didn't look to care if Grey lived or not.

"Grey will be fine," Tasia told him. "You have a very competent young doctor who knows what he is doing."

"Then why's your friend in there with him standing like a statue and doing nothing to help?"

"Celeste is an accomplished healer in her own right. While physical appearances would have you believe that she is doing nothing, you just have to look closer to see that she is under tremendous pressure. Her breathing is shallow and quick. Her brow knitted with tension. Look closer and you can see the thin film of sweat on her brow. She is by no means idle."

As Tasia spoke, Jack had looked more closely at the Albino woman. What Tasia had told him was true and Celeste's whole body seemed to radiate tension.

"What's she doing to him?" Jack demanded angrily as he finally faced the woman at his side.

"Telepathically blocking the pain receptors throughout his entire body," Tasia replied grimly. "The pain alone would send Grey into shock and end up killing him. As it is, Celeste is using everything she has to make sure he does not feel anything while Doctor Harper works on patching him up."

"You mean Grey's awake?"

"He has a vague idea of what is happening. He is simply remaining silent so as not to frighten your doctor."

"What exactly are you and your friends? You barge in here, taking over and worming your way into my team. Your white friend can read minds while that little firecracker with Tosh is literally a firecracker and you... What are you?"

Once again Jack looked at the woman besides him. He watched as she gripped the railing so hard her knuckles turned white. So she wasn't as unaffected by all of this as he'd first thought. In fact, her whole body seemed to radiate such a quiet fury that it sent a shiver straight down his spine. Her jaw was clenched shut and her nostrils flared as she dragged in air. A fight for control was going on right in front of him and Jack saw the exact moment that she lost it and gave in.

She straightened up and released the railing. Jack could see the metal was crushed from her grip and he thanked his lucky stars he hadn't offered her his hand. When she turned quickly to walk out of the autopsy bay Jack had to stop himself from jumping. With a last look back at the surgery that was being preformed, Jack followed the angry woman back into the main body of the Hub. He watched warily as she barked 'comm-link' at Aiden. The younger woman snapped to attention, turning away from Tosh and fishing in her left jeans pocket.

She threw the small communications device into the air and Tasia caught it effortlessly, attaching it to her ear. She seemed oblivious to the nervousness that radiated from Aiden. The young woman was at the moment clearly scared of her superior. He noticed that Tosh, Ianto and Gwen were also watching Tasia carefully. They looked ready to either draw their guns or turn tail and run. He couldn't blame them. He felt exactly the same way as he watched Tasia pace back and forth in front of him. The feeling of being in the presence of a predator was the best way he could describe it.

"Felicia, report!" ordered Tasia sharply. After a moment of silence she continued. "Lock onto Celeste's location and bring it in. When you are back you can debrief the others."

No sooner had she given the order Jack saw her stumble then catch herself. For a moment she just stood still and he could only guess that she had her eyes closed behind her shades. That was another thing that was beginning to annoy him. Why the Hell was she wearing shades inside a dark Hub?

"Talk to me!" shouted Jack, finally loosing patience with the whole situation. "My brother is having his guts sewn up because of you. The least you can do is tell me what you are and what the bloody Hell is going on!"

On the edge of his vision Jack saw Aiden step towards them only for her to halt when Tasia raised a hand. Jack watched warily as she walked towards him. Her movements were full of barely controlled anger and though a part of him warned him that he should be heading in the opposite direction of her, he'd never been one to back down. When she stood toe to toe with him her voice was nothing more than a soft growl as she spoke.

"They are the Tou'Cotta. Through an agreement signed in blood between your founder and myself they became Guardians. Each is picked out of space and time at the crucial moment of their lives that makes them what they will become. An event that marks them as something special. Each of them are gifted with an ability best suited to their nature and each of them work hard to make the most of a bad situation. They fight monsters that you can't even begin to imagine, and believe me Captain, not even your imagination is good enough."

"Don't think for one minute that you know what my imagination is like!" snapped Jack even as part of his brain admired the way her cheeks flushed prettily and the heave of her chest as she fought to drag air into her lungs through her anger.

"Anastasia, it is almost dawn."

Jack looked back over towards the Albino woman who had spoken. If he remembered rightly, her name was Celeste. That wasn't what drained his anger and got him moving over to her quickly though. She was currently helping a very groggy Grey walk out from the autopsy bay. Her left arm was behind his back as she held his right arm across her shoulders. Both of them were staggering so badly they looked drunk.

Easily slipping in between Grey and Celeste, Jack steered the young man to Owen's desk and carefully sat him down in the empty chair. He saw Celeste give a grateful smile to Tosh as she sank down into Tosh's now vacant chair.

"I thought your name was Tasia?" asked Gwen, jumping slightly when her question brought the pacing woman to a dead stop and brought her attention fully onto herself. "I-it was Tasia, right?"

"Yes. Tasia is easier to shout in an emergency."

"Where's Owen?" asked Tosh, bringing the absence of the young doctor to everybody's attention.

"I woke up too soon," replied Grey, not bothering to hide a satisfied smirk. "Scared the shit out of your doctor. I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't knocking back a glass or two."

"Give me a bit more credit than that!" snapped Owen as he made his way towards his work station, only to stop when Tasia stumbled backwards. "What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing," replied Tasia, a slight growl to her shaky voice.

Jack knew she was lying. He saw the worry in the faces of her friends. He could see that Tasia's skin had turned pale while the hand that she raised to the side of her head was shaking. He was more than ready to catch her when her knees buckled so he was completely surprised when it was Ianto that stopped her from falling completely.

"We have to get you back. Now," said Celeste as she and Grey stood.

Both were unsteady on their feet but neither of them would back down when Jack gave them a disbelieving glare. Instead, they slipped Tasia out of Ianto's arms, both of them holding onto her for support as well as giving it.

"You can't just leave! You've just had major surgery," protested Owen as he made to move towards them but stopped when Aiden stood in his path. "Jack tell them!"

Jack looked from Owen to the small injured group. Celeste looked exhausted though she was trying to hold herself tall and steady. Tasia almost hung between Celeste and Grey, tremors running through her and causing her teeth to audibly chatter. Grey held on tightly to the stricken woman with one arm, while his other was pressed against his stomach where he'd been wounded earlier. He didn't flinch from Jack's demanding look, but simply held his stare. It was perhaps then, in that brief moment, that Jack realised how much Grey had changed.

There was an age about him. So many years behind a pair of blue eyes that should still be so young. Jack instantly knew what the difference was and it broke his heart to see it.

"Tell us what we can do."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Neither Torchwood or Doctor Who are mine, which is obvious, but I can dream.

(Thanks to krazymona for being my Beta, she's a real angel, so any remaining mistakes are mine.)

* * *

Chapter Five

When his team looked at him as if he'd just gone crazy, Jack realised with a mental and slightly hysterical laugh, that those words had come from him.

"We need somewhere to put her," replied Grey through a hiss of pain. "Somewhere where she can be safe and where she can't hurt anyone."

"There's an end cell that can be used," said Ianto as he smoothly stepped around Aiden and took Celeste's place, firmly but gently manoeuvring her back into Tosh's chair. "It's far enough away from the Weevils that they won't bother her and she won't bother them."

"Fine," sighed Jack, knowing he was beaten. "Gwen, help Ianto take our guest down to the cells. Owen, I want you to make sure that Grey will be alright after his injury. Toshiko, let me know you have something, anything, to explain what the Hell's happening around here."

As his team rushed to carry out his orders Jack was surprised to see that Celeste and Aiden hadn't moved. "Ladies," he drawled, giving them a sarcastic bow and holding out an arm that pointed to his office. "I think we should have a little chat, don't you?"

He saw Celeste roll her eyes as she stood. More steady on her feet this time, she walked with head high and back stiff. Aiden hurried to catch up with her.

"You know," Jack heard the red head say as they walked in front of him. "She's going to be so pissed when she wakes up."

"That is putting it mildly, my friend," replied Celeste, a touch of humour in her voice. "Very mildly."

"I'm not taking the blame for this."

Jack shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. He had the feeling it would be like arguing with children once he got into his office. Aiden's next statement confirmed it.

"Besides, it was his fault. Not mine. His? Yes. Mine? No."

Closing his office door behind him, Jack moved around the two arguing women to sit down in his chair.

"So tell me," he said, leaning his chair as far back as he safely could then lifting his feet and resting them on his desk. "How bad of a threat is your friend that she has to be locked up away from everyone else?"

Jack felt his stomach drop when the two woman grew silent and serious. Neither of them looked at him, both keeping their eyes firmly trained on the floor.

"Alright then, let's start with something easy," urged Jack, injecting a little humour into his voice to try and encourage them to talk to him as he sat forward. "What exactly is a Guardian and should I be reserving some cells?"

"We are no threat to you, Captain Harkness," sighed Celeste as she leaned against the wall of his office. "We are hear to stand against the rising amount of Agents that appear to be growing here on Earth. Until ten days ago, we were not even aware that there were any. Not until the first one was activated. We were lucky enough that we were already here at the time."

"That doesn't explain what you are. What species you are or what entities you are."

"We're human," answered Aiden calmly. "Gifted with abilities that help us do what we need to and cursed with a long life in which to do it."

"You mean you can't die?"

Jack was horrified at the thought of it. His brother was one of them and he found that he finally understood what he'd seen in Grey's eyes.

"We are not immortal," Celeste told him gently. "We can still die if our injury is fatal. We can heal and though it will prolong our life, we will eventually die. Before I became a Guardian, I used to be a nurse. I was on a night shift at the hospital that I worked in when I was killed trying to calm a distressed and hallucinating patient. My interests were in healing, in helping others. As a result my abilities lean towards physically and mentally healing the wounded."

"What about you?" Jack directed his question to Aiden. "What were you before being chosen by the mighty Guardians?"

The younger woman blushed deep red and ducked her head as she mumbled her answer. At Celeste's soft cough, Aiden huffed and looked Jack square in the eyes.

"I was a pyrotechnic, and a bloody good one at that. The fireworks, the lights and the heat. I loved working with it all at the big functions and parties." She gave an unladylike bark of bitter laughter before continuing. "Some stupid brat had messed with one of my displays, totally threw off the angle of one of the bigger rockets. I just managed to push him out of the way before it went off."

"Let me guess. You didn't make it."

Jack had been very tempted to make a sarcastic comment but for once his brain had overtook his mouth and had fit the pieces together rather quickly. If what they were telling him was true, then the emerging pattern was all too clear for him to see. To become a Guardian you'd have to be dead first. The thought didn't sit well with Jack even as he realised something else.

"Grey's a Guardian," Jack said mildly, trying to keep his voice calm and cool when all he wanted to do was shout and scream for answers as to what had happened to his brother for him to have joined their ranks. "Are you telling me he died as well at some point?"

"We do not know," replied Celeste. "He does not talk about it and we do not ask. Tasia will say nothing about it either, only saying that it is not her place to explain what happened. We know of no other way to become what we are, but that does not mean to say that another way does not exist."

"So what's Tasia's story then?" asked Jack, leaning back in his chair once more. "How did she end up becoming a Guardian?"

"Tasia isn't a Guardian," Aiden told him, her tone of voice suggesting that she may have been talking to someone who was a bit slow.

"Then what the Hell is she?!" demanded Jack, finally unable to keep his frustration hidden.

The sudden shifting of solid ground and the deep rumble that accompanied it had Jack's chair sliding out from under him even before the Hub's alarms began wailing. In that split second, Jack found himself looking up at Aiden's worried face as she bit her bottom lip while he tried to get his bearings, not an easy thing to do when he was on his back with his feet in the air.

"If I had to use only one word for her," said Celeste calmly as she joined Aiden in looking down at him. "I would probably say 'unique'."

88888888888888888888

Ianto Jones stood silently against the wall opposite the cell. He watched as his friend and colleague Gwen Cooper gently laid the thick wool blanket over their resident guest, before backing out and closing then locking the unbreakable glass door. How strange it was that a woman who had held such ferocity and strength before now looked so small and vulnerable. They had helped her out of her coat, Gwen rolling it up to serve as a pillow, before they'd helped Tasia to lay down on the hard bench. When Ianto had tried to take her shades off, her hand had snapped out, her fingers wrapping around his wrist with surprising speed and strength.

"Leave them. Please."

The simple 'please' at the end of her sentence had turned her order into a request. It had gentled her voice and had allowed him to hear it for what it had been. A plea. So with nothing more than a nod of his head, Ianto had patted her fingers with his free hand then had stepped back when she released him. Now he stood, surrounded with his own thoughts as he watched her sleep.

"Ianto?" asked Gwen softly as she placed a gentle hand on his right arm. "Are you alright, love? You seem a little preoccupied."

"I'm fine, Gwen. Just thinking."

The smile he'd began to give her was quickly wiped from his face as the ground beneath his face shuddered and shifted. The deep rumble that followed was the only signal he got before bricks began to fall from the walls, accompanied with chunks of cement from the ceiling. He threw one arm above his head even as he pulled Gwen close against him, trying to keep her shielded from the falling debris. They moved as quickly as they could, avoiding falling cement as best they could, while making their way back towards the door that would lead them out of the cells.

The ground shifted again beneath his feet, threatening to unbalance him. A second rumble chased the shifting ground and fast on its tail the floor itself began to crack. The cement at their feet tore apart, leading from their only escape route and heading straight for them. With a sharp "Move!" to Gwen, Ianto pushed her backwards towards the end of the cells, making sure to keep his own body between Gwen and the growing tear in the ground. When he could move back no more, Ianto glance over his shoulder to see that they'd gone as far as they could. Their backs were now literally against the wall at the end of the corridor of cells.

Ianto swallowed hard as he watched the growing crack suddenly split in two different directions, creating a 'V' shape as it continued to grow and finally hit the wall behind them. The rumbling suddenly ceased, then the lights flickered briefly before darkness surrounded them. Ianto knew the Hub's backup power would come on in less than ten seconds but it still felt like ten hours before the dark red of the backup lights flashed and then filled the now wrecked corridor. His relief didn't last long as he watched with a mixture of confusion and fear, each red spot light in the corridor begin to flicker then die out. One slowly after the other.

The shadows that followed each dead light seemed to move. In fact, if he were to be asked later, Ianto would swear blind that they did move. That they slithered and shifted like thousands of grains of sand. Each one heading straight for Gwen and himself. That was _if_ they managed to survive whatever was happening. He drew his gun and held it out in front of him, not surprised to see that his hand was shaking. He steadied his grip with his other hand as he saw Gwen arming herself as well.

"Whoever you are," Gwen shouted into the darkness then lowering her volume when Ianto flinched. "Whatever you are, you have five seconds to stop what you're doing or we'll open fire!"

The growing darkness only seemed to hiss at them in laughter as yet another light popped and died out on them. Six yards away. Five yards away. The sound of cracking glass reached his ears but Ianto paid it no attention. Four yards away and instinct screamed at him. He spun around, grabbed Gwen and threw her into the corner away from the cell door. He just managed to raise his arms above his head in time to shield his face from the glass that was suddenly heading towards them.

When he didn't feel any stinging bites from the glass Ianto dared to look up. He litrally fell on his arse at what he was seeing. A quick glance at Gwen told him that she was seeing it too, her dark eyes wide with disbelief in her pale face.

"Ianto?"

Her whispered query reached his ears and he opened then closed his mouth a couple of times before swallowing hard.

"I have no idea."

Tasia stood in front of them, her back to them while she held her arms straight in front of her. Her hair seemed to be full of static electricity, the way hair is when you rub a balloon on your head. Ianto knew it wasn't static though. He could see the tiny sparks of gold that zapped against each strand of hair. When her right foot slid back an inch it was then that Ianto realised what was happening. Whatever she was doing, it was keeping the shadows from coming any closer to them, but it was taking its toll on her.

Her whole body trembled and when she was pushed back another couple of inches she sank down to one knee. The glass that Ianto had thought would cut them was currently hovering in front of her, each piece of glass splitting then splitting again, becoming a fine glittering mist of glass dust. The only thing that separated them from the shadows was a flimsy looking screen of dust. He wasn't surprised when he felt a bubble of hysteria rise inside of him.

He swallowed it down at hearing Gwen's whimper and tapped the blue-tooth ear piece in his right ear. Static was the only thing that greeted him and his heart sank as he realised that they were on their own. He jumped slightly when a hand was held out in front of him and he looked up at Tasia in confusion. She no longer wore her shades and her amber eyes didn't waver from his own.

"Help me."

He could hear the strain in her voice. Could see the fear and the plea in her eyes. He saw the tiny bead of sweat slide down her left temple and his eyes were drawn to the blood that began to drip from her right nostril. Whatever she was doing it was costing her.

"Please, help me."

Ianto looked back into her eyes. His decision was already made before he even took hold of hand and clasped on tightly. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do or what he'd be able to do, but from the small smile she gave him and from the quick flash of fire in her eyes he knew he was already doing it.

He could feel a pull in his body as fire seemed to rage through his veins. With some surprise he realised that there was no pain yet the shaking in Tasia's hand seemed to worsen. The screen of mist that this extraordinary woman controlled began to brighten. He watched as it turned from red to gold and finally to such a blinding bright white that he had to turn his head away from it. He glanced down at Gwen and was startled to see that she was looking at him with large frightened eyes. She wasn't frightened for him. She was frightened of him.

Ianto felt Tasia's grip on his hand slip and he looked back at her just in time to see her collapse. He moved quickly, catching her before she could hit the floor and hurt herself. Picking her up in his arms, he was startled at how little she weighed. Even more surprised when his right hand could easily feel her ribs. The sound of footsteps pounding in from the doorway let him know that the others had entered, but he didn't look up at them. Instead, he could only look down at the thin line of fine sparkling powder that had kept them safe from the darkness and the young woman in his arms.

Her once golden skin was now pale and wan. There was a thin film of sweat on her brow yet he could feel tremors wracking her slight frame. Her eyes were open but Ianto knew they were looking at nothingness. Only staring up at him, blank and empty, as though the woman behind them had withdrawn into herself and gone into shock. What caused his tears though, was the pain and sorrow that was rolling off her and into him. He was well aware that he held very slight empathic tendencies. It was how he was able to anticipate what his team mates needed before they knew it themselves. But this feeling now... They'd never been this strong before.

These feelings that were not his own threatened to drown him. It was only the heavy weight of Jack's hand on his shoulder, the deep sound of Jack's voice as he knelt besides him and spoke his name, that drew him out of the tide of foreign emotions. Ianto blinked rapidly to clear his vision as he looked up at Jack. He saw the small cut above Jack's left eye, his split bottom lip and torn and bloody shirt, and he just knew that Jack had been fighting. Grey and Celeste looked no better off. A long gash on the side of her neck had blood slowly running down Celeste's pale skin, dark bruises already forming. Grey's nose was bleeding, his left cheek was cut and both of their clothers had been torn.

"God, Jack!" rasped Ianto, his voice hoarse even to his own ears. "So much pain. So much agony and loss. What've they done to her?"


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Torchwood's Guardians

Author: briannapeirce

Pairing: Jack/Ianto/OFC

Rating: R (just to be on the safe side)

Warnings: Swearing, graphic sex/violence

Spoilers: Mentions of KKBB + Sleeper

Disclaimer: Neither Torchwood or Doctor Who are mine, which is obvious, but I can dream.

Summery: On a routine Weevil hunt, when things take a turn for the worse, it would seem that Jack's got a guardian angel watching his back. The rift becomes more active, groups are gathering in the shadows of the streets and an old friend crashes back into Jack's life, as well as an old enemy. Not a good time to be Torchwood.

(This isn't a crossover with Underworld. Thanks to krazymona for being my Beta, she's a real angel, so any remaining mistakes are mine.)

Chapter Six

Jack didn't have the chance to answer Ianto's question. He found himself being roughly pushed aside as Grey barged past him and tried to take the woman from Ianto's arms. It seemed Ianto was having none of it though. The young Welsh man practically growled for Grey not to touch her even as he held her closer against his chest. When it looked as though Grey might have argued Jack found it surprising that his brother backed down. Had Grey seen something in Ianto's eyes that he's missed?

"Ianto?" asked Jack, watching the younger man warily. "Yan, we need to take her to the autopsy bay. Owen will need to look her over and make sure she's not hurt."

"No," snarled Ianto, not even looking up at them. "No. I need to stay close. Need to keep hold of her."

"What the Hell has she done to him?!" growled Jack as he faced Celeste. He knew the coldness and threat of violence in his voice had affected her by the way she straightened up.

"She saved our lives."

Jack had totally forgotten about Gwen in his worry and panic over Ianto. Now though, he looked more closely at her. Though she looked unhurt she didn't look in any hurry to leave her place against the corner of the wall. In fact, she kept her dark eyes on Ianto, looking for what Jack didn't know.

"Gwen?" Jack kept his calm and soft as he spoke to her. She already looked ready to bolt for the exit. "What happened down here?"

"She was asleep," began Gwen quietly, her eyes darting to Jack then back to Ianto. "We were on our way up when it all started. I thought the whole place was coming down. I thought we'd be buried alive! And then... then she was there. Right in front of us. She looked so bright, so alive!"

Jack watched in silence as Gwen swallowed hard, trying to collect her thoughts. She was still scared and he didn't hesitate to step around the others and draw her into his arms offering comfort and strength. She was shaking like a leaf. He moved her backwards slightly and held his right hand against her left cheek, making sure to keep her focus on him.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice nothing more than a whisper.

"The shadows. The darkness. It couldn't come towards us. She wouldn't let it. She was stood there, hand held out like it was the only thing stopping it, but she wasn't strong enough. She was pushed back, down to her knees. Then Ianto..."

"What? What did Ianto do?" Jack tightened his grip on her right shoulder in an effort to stop himself from shaking her.

"Ianto took her hand and helped her." Gwen looked him straight in the eyes as she spoke, her confusion and fear clear for him to see. "I don't know what exactly happened, but one minute things were getting so dark and then there was light. So much light it felt like it was burning me. I looked at Ianto but... his eyes. So bright. Like molten gold. So much light. Such hot light."

"Gwen, look at me. Gwen!" When her eyes finally settled, becoming more focused, Jack gave her a gentle smile. "Take Grey back out for me. Tell Owen to get his ass into gear and get the autopsy bay ready. He'll need to check over Ianto and Tasia. Think you can do that?"

After a pause, Gwen nodded then skirted around the others, making sure to keep out of Ianto's reach and made her way out, heading back into the main body of the Hub with Grey by her side. Taking a deep breath, Jack faced his next problem. He knelt down in front of Ianto, watching as the young man stared off into the distance, seeing something only he could see.

"What happened Celeste? What's hurt them? What's hurt Ianto?"

"Ianto has not been hurt. He must have some small empathic ability. He is feeling what Tasia is feeling and because of the bond it has amplified that ability."

"What bond?"

When Celeste didn't answer Jack looked up at her. He was surprised to see the varying emotions rapidly crossing her features. Sisterly love, loyalty, sympathy, worry. Finally her expression settled into what Jack would describe as motherly affection.

"Celeste, what do you mean a bond?"

"The empathic bond."

Jack clenched his jaw, frustrated beyond belief at the cryptic answer. This was no good. They had to get Ianto and Tasia up and let Owen check them over. Having mad up his mind to leave the riddles for later, Jack gripped Ianto's right shoulder, squeezing just hard enough to gain the younger man's attention.

"Ianto, you want to help Tasia, don't you? You want to keep her safe?" At Ianto's silent nod, Jack carried on. "Then you need to take her up to see Owen. Can you do that?"

"I'm not stupid, Jack."

Jack let out a relieved chuckle at the eye roll that Ianto gave him as he stood, Tasia still in his arms.

"Can you manage, Yan?"

"I'll be fine, Jack. She's so light, it's like carrying a child."

"I'll be up in a bit."

Jack watched Ianto leave, the young man mumbling under his breath as he went. He was sick of riddles. Tired of not getting a straight answer. Now that he had the chance to get them, he wasn't about to let it pass. So with silent efficiency he blocked Celeste's exit and crossed his arms over his chest. He fought to keep his face in a stone of mask as he looked at her, noting with grim amusement that her left eye began to twitch slightly.

"Alright. What do you want to know?"

Jack relaxed only a little. He was glad this wasn't going to turn into a fight for answers.

"What exactly, is Tasia?"

Celeste sighed and leaned against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest in imitation of Jack.

"Anastasia is a Phoenix," Celeste told him quietly. "It is what makes her so unique. She is the only one in existence and that is what makes her vulnerable."

"Hang on. When you say a Phoenix, do you mean as in the mythical bird?"

"You know as well as I do that all legends and myths are built upon some truths. But this is no fantasy or fiction, Jack. Tasia may not be what you would class as human, but she originated from Earth. Her original form was that of a bird, but as we Humans became more, over time she had to evolve."

"How old is she, exactly?"

Celeste gave a soft chuckle before she answered. "Ancient and still a child. As the legend tells it, the Phoenix can be reborn if it should die from old age or is fatally wounded. A week ago, we found Tasia in the middle of the nature reserve in the bay. She would have been holding onto the reeds for dear life if we had found her sooner. As it was, all we could do was bring back her corpse."

"She drowned?"

"In the end, yes." At the dark, murderous look that flashed over her features, turning her pale blue eyes to shards of silver, Jack knew there was more to it than that. He didn't have to wait for an answer. "She had been tortured and violated, physically and mentally. I have no idea how she managed to hold on for as long as she did. Whoever left her in that freezing water knew she would not be able to survive for long. She had burned through three burnouts by the time we got to her."

"Burnouts?" Jack frowned at the unfamiliar description. "You mean like regenerating?"

"In a way, I suppose. Only, everything is born from scratch again and again. Her energies peak then turn to a full on blaze before dying down and leaving a brand new body, but exactly the same as the last. Not a single cell in her body changes. She keeps her appearance as it was. She simply lives again in a burst of fire and light. Whole, undamaged and new. Innocent and unknowing of what she is capable of, yet the memories are there, stored so far down and so far back in her mind that it would seem to leave the rest of her mind blank and just waiting to be filled. Or waiting for the older memories to be called upon when needed. This past week, she has been testing herself, stretching her wings as it were."

"So what exactly happened between her and Ianto?"

"Due to Tasia's last burnout being so recent, her strength is still limited and her control is scattered at best. What breeched your perimeter a short while ago was a creature called the Sou'Ki. They dwell in the Void, starved for warmth, for touch. For light. Six days ago they breached the Void and came through" Jack watched her sigh and close her eyes, leaning against the wall behind her even as her shoulders drooped a little. "I have no idea how they managed to make their way through and into this world. The problem is when they do, they target in on the brightest source of light and heat they can find. At the time, that was Tasia. She was simply not strong enough to push them back on her own. She must have seen something useful in Ianto that would help, but as I told you, her control is scattered. They must have accidentally bonded through Ianto's mild empathy. It has increased Ianto's empathic ability while allowing him to experience what she has experienced."

"Six days ago we had major Rift activity. An old acquaintance who I'd rather not have bumped into, came through the Rift. We ended up throwing a bomb into the Rift to save Cardiff."

Celeste opened her eyes as her jaw dropped and gave him a 'You did what?!' look.

"It was either throw it into the Rift or get blown up with the rest of Cardiff! Heart didn't exactly leave us a choice."

When her jaw snapped shut and her pale eyes narrowed to dangerously glittering silver slits, Jack had the feeling that he needed to back-peddle over what he'd just said.

"Is there any way I can come out of that comment looking smarter than I sounded?" Jack asked hopefully, giving a weak chuckle as he did.

"Heart? As in _Captain John Heart_?" At her hissed question Jack warily nodded his head. He didn't have to wait long for her reaction. She pushed herself away from the wall and barged past him, a freezing cold breeze trailing behind her. Even as Jack raced to follow her it didn't escape his attention that his breath was fogging out in front of him.

When he entered the main part of the Hub Jack saw that the missing two of Tasia's group had joined them. He wasn't sure how they'd managed to get into the Hub, he hadn't heard the siren or an intruder alarm, but her knew his team hadn't expected it. They were currently shouting at each other with their guns locked onto the new arrivals. Jack wasn't happy to see that his brother was in the midst of the argument and that Celeste seemed to be doing her level best to ignore them.

"ENOUGH!!"

Jack's own roar of anger seemed to do the trick. Not only did Tasia's people fall silent and were looking at him with wary, even frightened glances, but his own team were looking at him like he'd just been released from a mad house without either his medication or his straight jacket.

"Are you done?" he asked more quietly, though the softness of his voice only seemed to add to their nervousness. When no one answered he was about to continue when the youngest of Tasia's group, the one with the hair that seemed to shimmer with blue, raised her hand slowly like a child in class. "What is it?"

She glanced over his shoulder before looking at him with a small frown. "You might want to duck."

No sooner had Jack turned around than a fist planted him on his ass, leaving his jaw throbbing as he looked up at his enraged brother. Grey had obviously tried to follow through with another hit but was being held back by both Gwen and the dark skinned friend of Celeste's. Felicia Jack thought her name was. But that wasn't what bothered him. It was the look in his brother's eyes that cut at him. Anger and betrayal had darkened Grey's sky blue eyes to hard edged sapphires and though the woman held onto him tightly, he wasn't struggling against them.

"You bastard!" snarled Grey, anger making his voice deep and strained. "You said you'd help her and then you let her go off with a freakin' empath. It's not like she isn't bad enough as it is, but you don't even give her the chance to centre herself before sending her straight into trouble."

"Grey, Jack didn't know," Celeste said quietly and with certainty.

"Grey, I didn't know Ianto was capable of empathic talents," Jack told his brother as he pushed himself to his feet. "I didn't realise-"

Grey didn't let him get any further in his explanation before he managed to shrug the woman off and hit Jack again, this time splitting his bottom lip and sending him crashing against Toshiko's workstation. He turned to face his brother, ready for another attack, only to see Grey glaring daggers at him as the younger man fought to reign in his anger.

"You never realise, do you?" hissed Grey, his voice filled with contempt. "You never realise the damage that you cause when you think what you're doing is for the greater good. It's all about what you can do, about what you know. You go in with what you think is a clear cut plan of action but you never think of what gets left behind. Of who gets left behind. You just keep on running forward without looking back. Without stopping." His voice roughened, almost broke as he continued, unable to hide the pain from his words. "You should've stopped, Jack. You should've stopped and looked back for me."

"Grey..."

Jack's own voice was nothing more than a whisper, his own pain and regret stealing its strength as he watched his little brother swipe angrily at the wetness on his cheeks.

"All you had to do was look back."

With that final muttered sentence Grey turned and stalked away. He didn't look back as he headed not for the large cog wheel door, but for the stairwell that was just to the right of it. A loud bang of the metal door signalled his departure from the main Hub. It was enough to pull Jack from his agonising memories and start after Grey, only to find himself being blocked by the browny-blue haired young woman. Though her hand on the centre of his chest wasn't pushing him back, Jack felt that he couldn't go forwards either. He looked down into large slate coloured eyes that seemed to be capable of looking right into the depths of his very soul.

"He needs time," she told him, her voice soft and calm as she spoke. "You've had over a hundred years to deal with your pain whereas Grey hasn't. He just needs a little time on his own."

Jack nodded sharply at her before turning and heading towards his office in silence. Just before he closed his door he heard an outraged shriek coming from the autopsy bay where Ianto, Tasia, Owen and Aiden were. Tasia didn't sound amused.

"What the bloody Hell do you mean bonded?!"


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Torchwood's Guardians

Author: briannapeirce

Pairing: Jack/Ianto/OFC

Rating: R (just to be on the safe side)

Warnings: Swearing, graphic sex/violence

Spoilers: Mentions of KKBB + Sleeper

Disclaimer: Neither Torchwood or Doctor Who are mine, which is obvious, but I can dream.

Summery: On a routine Weevil hunt, when things take a turn for the worse, it would seem that Jack's got a guardian angel watching his back. The rift becomes more active, groups are gathering in the shadows of the streets and an old friend crashes back into Jack's life, as well as an old enemy. Not a good time to be Torchwood.

(This isn't a crossover with Underworld. Thanks to krazymona for being my Beta, she's a real angel, so any remaining mistakes are mine.)

Chapter Seven

Grey had always marvelled at the simple beauty of a sunrise. Of how the night sky lightened from black velvet to grey then to blue. The way the darkness and the shadows would be chased away by the rising sun. looking over the bay now, leaning against the cold black railing and holding onto it as tightly as he could, he knew it was the only thing that was stopping him from sinking to his knees and loosing control. He was twenty six years old. He'd spent ten of those years inside a living nightmare, crying and begging and hoping that his brother would look back and come and rescue him from the monsters that were all too real.

Ten years was a long time though. As much as he'd loved his brother he knew that he'd never come for him. Grey had finally lost hope the day he met Tasia. In the slave pits of the Korthin world he'd been making his nightly rounds with the water for the other slaves when he had first seen her. He'd been limping badly, the results from his last beating easily visible. His guard had pushed him forward and to the ground, making him drop the bucket and spill the water into the dusty earth.

Grey knew that if the other slaves didn't get their water he could very well be killed in their frenzy of anger and desperation. His guard had laughed and dragged him to his knees by his hair and Grey had whimpered an apology only to earn himself a vicious shake. And then _she_ had been there. At his side, holding onto his guard's arm with what had looked like no effort at all. He'd been thrown to the floor and he hadn't wasted any time in scrambling along the ground to hug the cold stone wall of the pits.

Looking over his shoulder he'd just managed to see the flash of fire in her golden eyes before she'd turned her full attention onto the guard. He didn't think he'd ever seen anything more vicious than the way she'd ripped into the guard's large body with what amounted to something close to glee. She'd torn flesh from bone and broken joints with smooth movements that shouted long practice.

When the screaming had stopped, he'd managed to gather the nerve to look up at her only to find her crouching down in front of him. The fire in her eyes had dulled slightly, but they still burnt him with her knowing gaze. He hadn't been able to explain it then and he still couldn't now. There was no pity in her eyes, none of the fury that he'd glimpsed in them before she'd taken down the guard. There was nothing except warmth and compassion and mild curiosity.

She'd held out her hand to him, palm up and open. "Come with me?" she had said, her voice soft and gentle, something in it calling to him. When he'd hesitated, he thought he'd seen disappointment in those golden eyes and it'd saddened him. As she'd began to draw back her hand Grey had made his decision and had moved as quickly as his battered body had allowed. He'd grabbed her retreating hand, recognising a lifeline when he saw one and using a voice that had been left hoarse and rusty from disuse, he'd given her his answer. A word. Just one word, but it had made her smile such a bright smile it had felt as if could light up the entire world of darkness that he'd lived in.

"Always," he'd told her.

Always it had been, from that day on. He'd followed her with complete faith and loyalty, growing to love her as a best friend and sister with each day. Now, with the reappearance of his brother and the unexpected bonding with a 21st Century human, he'd felt his faith in her begin to waver. Tasia no longer seemed to be able to look at the world with the detachment she'd once held, and Grey couldn't help but think it had happened the minute she'd set eyes on his brother. It was like Jack had managed to dim the light inside of her somehow and he couldn't help but blame him.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

The soft voice startled him out of the past and Grey glanced over to the man who stood besides him. Dark brown hair, grey eyes, sharp cheekbones. A slim body clothed in tattered jeans, a grubby t-shirt and what looked like an odd red coat with lots of golden buttons. It screamed to him as a man out of his time, and he should know. Giving a derisive snort, Grey turned back to the waters.

"My thoughts aren't worth that much."

Grey could sense the man moving closer, leaning over the railing.

"Don't know about that," answered the American drawl. "I reckon that anything regarding Captain Jack Harkness is gonna be worth a pretty penny or two."

It took a moment for the words to register but when they did, Grey turned to face him. He never saw the fist that sent him sprawling backwards onto the cold ground. The man's heavy weight pinned him down on his back as his assailant straddled him, pinning his arms to his sides. A strong hand pushed his head to the side, pressing his right cheek into the concrete even as the hot sting in his neck announced the needle that was pushed into his veins. Coldness flooded into his veins, heralding the onset of whatever had just been injected into him.

The weight suddenly vanished and Grey could dimly register that fact that he'd been turned onto his front and his arms were being pulled behind him. As his vision began to blur and his world began to grow dark, Grey could just manage to make out what his attacker was saying before he passed out.

"Don't worry, lad. I won't hurt you much. At least, not until your brother joins the party."

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Jack glared at the amber liquid in the crystal tumbler that sat on his desk in front of him. He should've gone after Grey. He knew he should have but there'd been something in that girl's eyes, something that Beth had seen. Choosing to ignore the soft click of his office door closing, Jack swallowed the contents of his glass, knocking it back in one breath and grimacing against the burn it left as it travelled down his throat.

"He doesn't blame you, Jack."

"Could've fooled me," Jack replied as he poured himself another shot of the whisky, not bothering to look up as he heard Ianto walking around the desk to lean against its side.

"Trust me Jack. Grey doesn't blame you, he loves you. He's never stopped doing that."

Jack finally looked up at his young lover. The earnest look on his face willing him to believe him was enough to make Jack sigh and lean back in his chair.

"And just what makes you, Ianto Jones, so sure that that's how Grey feels?" snipped Jack unkindly, completely unable to stop himself. "What makes you the expert on what my brother is feeling?"

"For Gods sake, Jack!" snapped Ianto, moving away from the desk to lean over Jack, forcing the older man to look up at him as he spoke. "I know how he feels because I feel it myself. In my head... in my heart. I know he doesn't blame you."

"Oh yes, the empathy. The very same empathy that you didn't think was important enough to tell me about. The very same thing that you kept hidden from me. First Lisa and now this. Is there anything else that you're hiding Ianto? Because I'd really like to know what else I have to be ready for in my own Hub amongst my own team."

Jack instantly regretted the words the minute they left his mouth, but the damage had been done now. He watched warily as Ianto moved back and away, straightening his suit as he walked to the door, not once looking back.

"Yan..."

Ianto stopped, not bothering to look back as he spoke.

"When you're done being the self pitying, egotistical bastard that you're acting at, Tasia is in the firing range waiting to talk to you."

Not waiting for a reply, the young Welshman slipped out of the office silently, the only sound of his retreat being that of the soft click of the door as it closed behind him.

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Tasia didn't turn around at the sound of the soft foot falls behind her. She kept her attention fixed on the paper target at the end of the firing range. Though there were many guns laying on the table in front of her, she hadn't touched them. Yet.

"You actually need to pick up the gun if you're expecting to fire it."

She suppressed a smile, recognising the slim olive branch for what it was and turned to watch Jack. The immortal picked up one of the smaller guns, checked it over then held it out to her with a cocked eyebrow. She glanced at the gun, wrinkled her nose in distaste, then looked back at the paper target she'd been looking at for the past fifteen minutes.

"It won't bite you," laughed Jack, giving the gun a little wave towards her.

"I do not like guns," Tasia told him, keeping her voice to a quiet hush, as though imparting a great dark secret. "In fact, I hate them. They are loud and tacky and can destroy lives far too easily."

"You still need to be able to use one though, right?"

"Anyone can fire a gun, Jack. Just like anyone can feel what another does. It all depends on what control that person holds over their skills. Sometimes that skill alone can be so small, so unused that a person might simply write it off as coincidence. They may not even realise that they have it in the first place or it may simply not be strong enough to warrant any notice at all."

She watched with keen eyes as Jack's grip on the weapon tightened slightly while he gave no other sign that he'd cottoned onto what she meant. He turned from her and began firing at the paper targets at the other end of the range. He didn't even bother to put on the protective goggles or ear covers. Though he didn't miss a single target, Tasia noticed that his aim was a little high. After a moment of continuous bangs Jack finally turned to face her again.

"I've been a complete ass haven't I?"

Tasia looked up at him to see a mixture of emotions crossing so quickly over his face that she couldn't have hoped to know what they were.

"You have been worried and under a lot of stress. Having to deal with seeing your brother again and then finding out Ianto did not mention something that he did not feel needed mentioning because he had no real experience of it in the first place. Then to top it all off, we crash into your life and take over knowing full well that this is not our territory but we do our job anyway because if we do not, we all know the place is going to Hell." At Jack's confused and slightly concerned look, Tasia let out a small huff and picked up one of the guns from the table. She gave it a quick glance before holding her arm out straight and aiming the gun at the target she'd been looking at when Jack had first joined her. "All in all Jack," she continued as she emptied the bullets into the target and never taking her eyes from Jack. "You are human and are allowed to make mistakes once in a while."

When silence followed her words Tasia softly placed the gun back on the table and gifted Jack with a small soft smile.

"Know what would make it better?"

Jack just looked at her with a stunned expression on his face as he shook his head in the negative.

"If you tucked away your wounded pride and had the balls to say sorry."

For a moment he looked at her with wide eyes and an open mouth. He laughed so suddenly that she jumped slightly and could only look on in puzzlement as he continued to laugh, leaning against the table and clutching his sides as though pained. Tasia chuckled quietly and simply watched as Jack fought to control his laughter and get his breath back. Once he had, he looked at her with curious eyes and an open genuine smile.

"Thank you," he told her, sincerity in his voice as his large warm hands held onto her shoulders.

A little confused Tasia could only return his smile. "What for?"

"For taking me down a notch or two. For making me see it from Ianto's point of view. For letting me know that even though I can't die, I'm still allowed to make mistakes. Most of all though, for bringing my brother back to me even if he had to die in the process."

Tasia could see in his eyes that he meant every word he said and that it all came straight from his heart. She didn't have to be able to read minds or hearts to know that Jack not only cared very deeply for his people but considered them family and would willingly die time and again for them. Part of Jack's little speech suddenly caught her attention and she frowned up at the blue eyed Captain.

"Grey did not die."


End file.
